Worldwide
Recent Articles
-
La Pigna in Sanremo - From Bottom to Top
Stepping through Porta di Santo Stefano is like following Alice down the rabbit hole. The visitor is immediately immersed in a tangle of narrow, enclosed alleyways that is La Pigna the old town of Sanremo on the Italian Riviera. Once through the thickness of the old city walls the local grocery…
-
A Memorable Encounter in Bordighera on the Italian Riviera
I was perplexed. The signs I had been following had petered out for a third time. As I stood on the hill above the Porta Sottana inside the old town of Bordighera two distinguished gentleman entered the old town. For a split second they were perfectly framed by the old gate. Without thinking I…
-
Damyang, South Korea's Garden of Bamboo and Metasequoia trees
I accepted an invitation to visit the bamboo grove in Damyang, as the idea of a journey through the South Korean countryside after the bustle of Seoul was very appealing. I had visions of wandering through cool, green avenues of bamboo plants but there was a big surprise in store for me ...
-
Inuyama a Japanese History Book
Strolling by the Kiso River that runs through Inuyama a small town in Japan I paused to watch some cormorants drying their wings in the sun. Safe in the knowledge they would not be working that night as the cormorant fishing season was over they looked relaxed and content. I was on my way to the…
-
Hardship to Holidaymakers on Pico Island in the Azores
In an extraordinary turn around the hardships of the islanders on Pico during the last century have now been turned into tourist attractions. Visitors to the island arrive at Madalena, the main town and port. When I arrived it was blurry through the rain but I could see it was an attractive,…
-
Horta, the Charming Capital of Faial Island in the Azores
Anyone sailing into Horta who does not feel a thrill must be either sleeping or throwing up. Colourful yachts bob within the walls of the busiest marina in the Azores. Pastel painted buildings creep up the hill towards majestic churches that dominate the skyline. And arms of imposing cliffs…
-
Whale Watching and Volcanology on Faial, an Island in the Azores
My tour of Faial Island is the closest to nature I have been for a long time. But it started with a technical hitch as our flight to the island was delayed. We were due to go out on a whale watching trip and arrived more than hour after we should have left the port. We raced there from the…
-
Ponta Delgada, a Portrait in Black and White with Splashes of Colour
Architecture is the most striking aspect of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Azores archipelago. Simple whitewashed buildings striped with black basalt stand out against a backdrop of green vegetation beyond the town. This architecture originated from Portugal of which the islands…
-
Views, Villages and Vegetation on São Miguel an Island in the Azores
It was not a good start to my second day touring the island of São Miguel in the Azores. A stubborn mist hung above the mountain road that took us to the northern tip of the island. Our guide, Carlos, had joked that in one day the island could experience four seasons. What he did not tell us…
-
A Day Out on the Island of São Miguel in the Azores
Before embarking on my trip to the Azores I knew very little about the islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The name alone makes them sound exotic and exciting. I was not disappointed. The islands, exposed mountain peaks, bubble and hiss with underground volcanic activity. They are…
